1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tile roof vents having undulating configurations. More particularly, the invention relates to roof ridge vents used on roofs having ceramic or metal tile coverings.
2. Reported Developments
Ventilators for attics of buildings are perforated or baffled vent openings in the underside of the eaves of an overhanging roof or facia and on the roof ridge overlaying the open roof along the length of the roof. The vent openings allow outside air to flow into the attic to equalize the interior attic temperature and pressure with that of the outside environment. This equalization helps to prevent degradation of the roof structure, reduces the accumulation of condensation in the insulating material covering the floor of the attic thereby increasing the efficacy of heating/cooling of the living space in the building covered by the roof structure.
The ventilator system of the prior art is typically comprising: a roof ridge ventilator and a soffit ventilator. The roof ridge ventilator overlays the open roof along the length of the roof for exhausting the air from the space below the roof and the ceiling of the attic, i.e., as the air entering the attic through the soffit vent mixes with the warmer air in the attic, it has to be expelled through an opening in the roof ridge where the lighter, warmer air accumulates. Desirably, the volume of air intake through the soffit ventilator should be balanced by the volume of air exhaust through the roof ridge ventilator. In an optimum soffit ventilator/roof ridge ventilator system there is a balance between the net free open area presented by such system. The terminology "Net Free Open Area" or NFA means the cross-sectional area of a ventilator system which is open for passage of air therethrough. This balance of the net free open area of a soffit ventilator and roof ridge ventilator is difficult to achieve. Thus in many existing and newly built buildings there tend to be an out of balance soffit/roof ridge ventilation system.
Ventilation systems should also provide against insects entering into the attic space of buildings. While large perforations in the soffit and roof ridge ventilation panels would render the desired flow of air through the attic space, they would also allow ingress to insects therein to form insect colonies.
In addition to having good ventilation of the attic space and preventing ingress of water, snow and insects into the attic space, the desiderata in a ventilation system includes: structural strength and stability to withstand the affects of the elements, such as high wind; strong structural support against collapse or warping, such as occurs by the accumulation of snow or ice or by the weight of the installers accidentally stepping on the roof ridge ventilator; easy handleability on installation; and low costs. In roof ridge ventilators designed for use on heavy roofing tiles made of slate, terra cotta, concrete, clay and metals, the roof ridge ventilator has to support the heavy ridge tiles in addition to snow and ice accumulating on the roof.
The present invention is directed to roof ridge vents which preferably are used in conjunction with an adequate soffit ventilator of the prior art.
Illustrative examples of the prior art directed to roof ridge ventilators are as follows.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,318 discloses a roof ridge ventilator for use with heavy roofing tiles. The ventilator comprises an elongated metal support member shaped as a hollow rectangular-section beam with the bottom of the beam open and skirt sections flared therefrom at the slope angle of the roof. The shape of the support member includes:
a) a cap element anchoring and support portion running along the top of the hollow beam; PA1 b) two longitudinally oriented side walls containing vent openings therein, each wall connected to and depending vertically downward from the support portion; and PA1 c) two longitudinally-oriented skirt portions conforming to the slope of the roof. PA1 a ridge vent composed of two panel portions joined together and forming an inverted V-shaped configuration which fits over the peak of the roof. A plurality of V-shaped baffles support the panels. Ventilation ribs are included extending downwardly from each side of the panels to allow passage of air into and out of the openings in the roof. An angled flange is also provided on both sides of the ridge vent to deflect air upwardly and over the roof to create negative air pressure which in turn helps to exhaust stagnant air from the attic space. PA1 a) two hard plastic sheets or panels each having a top surface and a bottom surface, comprising a flat portion and an angled portion; PA1 b) a fibrous air-permeable mat affixed to the bottom surface of the flat portion of each of the hard plastic sheets; and optionally PA1 c) a layer of foam rubber affixed to each of the fibrous air-permeable mat. PA1 a) installing sinusoidal such as semi-circular or S-shaped tiles in rows running across the slope of the roof from the bottom edge of the roof toward the ridge of the roof, omitting the top row of tiles on each side of the ridge, wherein said rows of sinusoidal such as semi-circular or S-shaped tiles are being laid in alternating inverted and overlapping position to each other to form an undulating sequence of crests and valleys running from the bottom edge of the roof toward the ridge of the roof, said valleys serving as gutters to lead precipitation down from the ridge toward the bottom edge of the roof; PA1 b) positioning two unitary panels over the opening in the ridge so that the lower portions of the panels rest on the uppermost top rows of the undulating roof tiles and their crests and valleys conform to that of the roof tiles, and spacing the two panels from each other; PA1 c) affixing the lower portions of the panels to the roof by an adhesive means or fasteners; PA1 d) positioning ridge tiles over the tile roof so that: PA1 e) affixing the ridge tiles to the tile roof vent and the underlying sloped roof by using adhesives or fasteners.
The cap clement and side walls define a longitudinally oriented channel which contains an air-permeable material. The ventilating air passes through the air-permeable material and out of the vent openings.
WO 93/04323 discloses a roof vent of synthetic fiber matting constructed of randomly oriented synthetic fibers. In one embodiment for use with heavier slate or terra cotta tiles, the mat includes a grid pattern of small solid cores extending through the thickness of the mat. The mat is cut to length from a roll and installed over the ridge slot, with capping shingles or tiles nailed on top of it.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,734 discloses a ridge cap roof ventilator applied in roll form comprising a corrugated plastic sheet material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,147 relates to a roof ridge ventilator comprising: a one piece cover member including a pair of flaps and a hinge unitary with the flaps to allow for installing the ventilator on roof ridges of different angles. Vents are located under the flaps. The vents also have an interior baffle structure to deflect air flow and to limit entry of foreign particles through the roof ridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,399 discloses a roof ventilator comprising a corrugated plastic sheet material which may be mounted transversely across any roof ridge regardless of its contours or roof angles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,920 discloses a ridge top vent for roofs which vent includes grill portions flexibly located longitudinally along the lateral edges. The grill portions have at their distal end a set of flexible teeth adapted to fit on shingles and down between shingles in the gaps therebetween, so as to prevent passages between the grills and the shingles of any debris, insects or vermin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,506 discloses a roof vent which includes a sheet-like cover having an inverted V-shaped cross-section. A pair of baffles are disposed on the lower surface of the cover and include a plurality of spaced partitions for supporting the baffles rigidly against the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,810 discloses a roof ridge ventilation system comprising:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,538 discloses a roof vent comprising a one-piece plastic body. A plurality of transverse supports are provided for the one-piece plastic body. The system includes a wall to deflect entry of snow and rain. There are also drain openings to allow moisture to escape.
Although the prior art has provided various ventilation systems to address the desiderata, we have found that the balance of the Net Free Open Area for a soffit ventilator and roof ridge ventilator has not been quite adequately achieved for the reason that the roof ridge ventilators do not allow the passage of sufficient amounts of attic air to pass therethrough while preventing entry of snow, rain, ice and insects. Roof ridge ventilators designed for use with tile roof and having air-permeable vent material as water and insect barriers tend to be compressed by the heavy roof tiles thereby providing limited air circulation. Support structures to prevent compression or crushing of the air-permeable material are costly and difficult to install.
The present invention is directed to solve these problems in a tile roof vent, which is preferably used in conjunction with a soffit ventilator system of the prior art.